Reports: Lukashenka will not visit Russia during Zapad 2017 war games

Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin may attend one of the stages of Belarus-Russia strategic maneuvers Zapad 2017, his press secretary Dmitry Peskov reported on September 14. 

Putin was supposed to arrive at a Russian training grounds together with Belarusian president. However, Lukashenka is unlikely to arrive in Russia since he has reconsidered his plans, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reports.

The Belarusian and Russian presidents made a joint visit to a firing ground in Hrodna Region of Belarus and in Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast during the Zapad 2013 military exercise.

Zapad 2017 officially started on September 14 and will end on September 20. 13 000 troops are involved in the war games on the territory of Belarus: about 7200 Belarusian soldiers and 5500 Russians.